FEAST OF TABERNACLES – DAY 5 – 2005

Fred Coulter – October 22, 2005

And greetings brethren. This is Day 5 of the Feast of Tabernacles – 2005. Let’s go back to Leviticus 23 and let’s see something very unusual concerning the Feast of Tabernacles and then let’s ask the question: Why would God command such a thing? Let’s come back here to Leviticus 23 and let’s focus a little bit more on what the commands concerning the Feast of Tabernacles is and we’ll see something that God commanded that is really quite unusual.

Here, Leviticus 23:39: “Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the LORD seven days [that’s the Feast of Tabernacles]: on the first day shall be a sabbath…” Now all the holy days are Sabbaths. We know that, but here again it’s emphasized. “…And on the eighth day shall be a sabbath [which then is the Last Great Day].” Now notice verse 40: “And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days.” Now why would God have them break off these boughs? What would the purpose of that be? Well, let’s see if we can answer that question today.

But let’s also notice something else. It says here: “And ye shall keep it a feast unto the LORD seven days in the year. It shall be a statute for ever in your generations: ye shall celebrate it in the seventh month. Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths: that your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God” (Lev. 23:39-43, KJV). Now why would He have us remember dwelling in booths?

Now we know that living in a tent is not like living at home. And that’s what it was, but why the two things? Well, a couple of years ago someone gave me some photographs that they had taken in Jerusalem during the Feast of Tabernacles. And it was quite unusual what they did, because you see in Jerusalem most of the roofs are flat and they use the upper roof kind of as a deck or something like that, and also they have them on the side of the first floor and then a deck on the top of the second floor, and so forth, but what they did, they made their temporary little booths for the Feast of Tabernacles. And they would take a bough and put it over the entrance of the booth. And I thought that was very interesting that they did that, and also it shows something else. There are some great lessons for us concerning the booths and concerning the branches, and so forth, but let’s first of all consider the booth and what it pictures. It pictures that we are strangers and sojourners on the earth. And it pictures that we are looking for something greater.

Now let’s come to Hebrews 11 and let’s see where the apostle Paul writes of this concerning Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and let’s understand Abraham, Isaac and Jacob never, never lived in the land of promise that God gave them. Let’s put it this way: Abraham did live in the land in tabernacles, but he did not live in the land to permanently be there. He was only to be a stranger and sojourner in the land because the land was going to be given to the children of Israel.

Now let’s pick it up here in Hebrews 11:8: “By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing [where he was going] whither he went.” Very similar to us: God calls us; we are to come out of this world – that means we are not to be part of the world, we are not to be as the world though we have to live in it. And that means what separates us from the world: the Spirit of God, the commandments of God, living by every Word of God. Those things separate us from the world. And in calling us out of the world, then as God says we are not to love the world nor the things in the world, or the pride of life, or all the things that are connected with the world. Because, as we will see, the whole world is going to perish. But the one who does the will of God is going to live forever. Now if you’re going to live forever, then you have something to look forward to.

Now notice verse 9: “By faith…” So we have to believe God all the time. And that’s the thing that’s important. You cannot overcome human nature without faith. You cannot overcome the difficulties and problems that we face in the world without faith. You cannot overcome human nature without faith, and you’re not going to make it into the Kingdom of God with out faith. “By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles [booths] with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: for [because]…” In other words God not only gave him the promise of the land but He also gave him the promise of the Kingdom of God. And he knew that and he understood that. And that is one of the things that motivated Abraham. And it should be the thing that should also motivate us.

Verse 10: “…For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder [that is architect] and maker is God.” Now that’s what we are looking for. That’s what the Feast of Tabernacles pictures. But it also shows that in spite, as we will see because of the branches that were cut off, that everything here is temporary. Whereas we are looking for a city that is made by God, an eternal city, heavenly Jerusalem where righteousness dwells, and all of that.

Now let’s come here to verse 13: “These all died in faith, not having received the promises…” Now there are going to be many of us who are going to die in the faith not having yet received the promises. There are going to be those who will live on over into the time and when Christ returns, will be changed instantly from flesh and blood to spirit beings. And so they died in the faith. “…But having seen them afar off…” In other words through faith, through the minds-eye, through the understanding of God’s Word: “…having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them…” Now when you do that that means that that becomes a part of you. And this is the way that all of us are to think because this is the goal. See, as one of the proverbs says, “Without vision the people perish.” What we’re dealing with today, especially in the Laodicean age, a lot of people (that is, who are in the church) are failing to keep the vision, failing to understand why they have been called. So what happens: they fall victim to their own devices. Now we’ll see this a little later and how it can entrap everyone and so forth.

“…And confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.” And since we are still living in the world there are some who take the opportunity to return back to the world, unfortunately. And we are sorry that that occurs. But you see, if you understand the plan of God, and the purpose of God, and the reason why we are here, and the whole purpose of why we do the things that we do; and you understand that it’s for the Kingdom of God, that we are looking for that, that what we do today and everything that we do are various steps of growth and changing and overcoming so we can attain the goal, so that we can enter into the Kingdom of God just like Abraham, Isaac and Jacob looked forward to.

“But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly [one]: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for He hath prepared for them a city” (Heb. 11:8-10, 13-16, KJV). That’s the whole goal. And that’s why on the Last Great Day we end up studying about new Jerusalem. God has prepared a city for them.

Now remember what Jesus said. And this goes right back and ties in with the Passover. And the Passover is what? The Passover is the renewing of the covenant every year, isn’t it, right? Yes. And what was one of the things that Jesus promised? Let’s go here to John 14. Now we need to understand that God is working, God is doing what He is doing, God is preparing for the setting up for the Kingdom of God on earth, God is preparing for the return of Jesus Christ. Jesus is preparing for His return. He’s preparing His saints. And are we preparing ourselves? And also in accordance with that, God is preparing a place for each one of us and Christ is in charge of doing that.

John 14:2: “In My Father’s house are many mansions [or that is abodes or dwelling places]…” Now these will be eternal spiritual dwelling places, won’t they? Everything will be made out of spirit, not made out of flesh, not made out of the dust of the earth. “…If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.” Now that’s what Jesus is actively doing. Not only a place made out of spirit but a place and an office in the government of God under Jesus Christ beginning during the Millennium. So that also has to do with that place. And He is also preparing for us the jewels. Now we’ll see that in just a minute. God is doing that. Now notice, here’s a promise: “And if I go [which He did] and prepare a place for you [which He is], I will come again [which He will], and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:2-3 , KJV). Now we need to keep that in mind.

Let’s see what else He is doing here. Let’s come to Malachi 3 because this is also very important, you see. And this is what we need to do to keep our minds on the goal, on the plan, on what God has for us, and the reason and purpose as to why we are here, and the reason and the purpose as to why we live the way that we live, and how we handle life, and what we do with life, and how those things are all together.

Here’s something very, very important and this is what we need to be doing today. Many, many brethren do this, but there are some who don’t. So you need to think: What is it that I am doing? How am I living my life? Because this is what we are going to cover today and we will see this is told in the story of the branches.

Now Malachi 3:16: “Then they that feared the LORD…” Now we can say today, fearing and loving God, fearing and obeying God, fearing and serving God. The right kind of fear, which is worshipful awe of our Creator and Maker. “…Spake often one to another…” So we need to have that fellowship with one another. Now notice: does God care about that? Notice: “…And the LORD hearkened, and heard it…” Now think about that. God is interested in our conversations, isn’t He? He’s interested in our fellowshipping with each other, isn’t He? Why? Because Christ is in us, Christ is dwelling in us like I pointed out on the very first day. That’s why He is interested. He listens. God is involved in our lives, isn’t He? If His Spirit is in us, which it is, then He knows, doesn’t He? Without a doubt.

Now notice: “…and a book of remembrance was written before Him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon His name.” And of course “thinking on His name” is thinking on His plan, His purpose, His calling, and everything. So that’s what it’s all about. And this is why, brethren, we have the Sabbaths and we should use every Sabbath to get together, to serve one another, to love one another, to do the things that we need to do, and to do them according to the way that God wants us to do them. And to fellowship with one another – that’s a very important thing. And you see, we are warned in the book of Hebrews that there are some who forsake the assembling together with each other be they few or be they many; or some, when they assemble, it’s not for love and service and worshipping and serving God, it’s for strife and it is for contention. Now those things are also noted too, aren’t they? See, everything that we do, God notes, doesn’t He? And so brethren, as we will see, let’s understand do not (as the warning is twice) weary in well doing, and do not slack up, but rather serve God with all your heart.

Verse 17, God says those who do this then: “And they shall be Mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up My jewels…” So God is making a crown for you; preparing a place, preparing an office, preparing a work, preparing responsibility, and making a crown for you with jewels on it. “…And I will spare them [that is, save them], as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. Then shall ye return [that is the other people in the world], and discern between the righteous [that God is dealing with] and the wicked [and those that go against God], between him that serveth God and him that serveth Him not” (Mal. 3:16-18, KJV). So you see this is very important for us to understand.

All right, now how does this fit in with breaking off of boughs? Ok, it fits in very, very clearly. Let’s come to John 15:1. Here’s a spiritual and a physical lesson, then we’ll amplify this a little bit more. “I am the true vine, and My Father is the husbandman. Every branch in Me…” All right, we’re going to learn a lesson, because if the branch is broken off, which for the Feast of Tabernacles it is. And we did this one year. Someone said, “Why don’t we just do it and bring some boughs in here to our meeting hall,” and so forth. And then every day we looked at them. And we learned a lesson. Let’s see what that is.

“…Every branch in Me that beareth not fruit He taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, He purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.”  Now that’s what God wants us to do to bring forth fruit. And that means all the time. Just like every year there is a crop. Every year there is a harvest. This shows that every year we must continually be doing the things of God. Jesus said in verse 5: “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in Me [dwells in Me], and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit [continually, constantly] for without Me ye can do nothing.” Very important to understand, and we’re going to see today this lesson.

Now verse 6: “If a man abide [dwell] not in Me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered [and that’s what happens to these branches]; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned” (John 15:1-2, 5-6, KJV). Now let’s see about human beings, and let’s see that breaking off the branches and using those during the Feast of Tabernacles is a very instructive lesson, which is what we learned right here. If it is not in the plant it is going to die. And it becomes very temporary, doesn’t it? And every day when we looked at these they shriveled up a little more, and a little more, and a little more, and by the end of the feast they were dry and brittle and worthless.

Now the first day or two you couldn’t tell much difference than when they were on the plant. But it became very apparent (there’s the lesson right there) if you’re not in Christ you’re going to die. So this also tells us that physical life is temporary and will come to an end within an inevitable process from birth unto death.

Now let’s go to Psalm 94 and let’s look at what it talks about – how human life is vain, is empty, and without God there is no purpose and without God there is no understanding. Let’s see what it says about us as human beings and let’s realize that that is true. As fantastic and as magnificent and as great that God has made the creation of man – giving us minds, giving us abilities, making us in His image, giving us many of the same powers that God has in creating and making and doing and thinking, and so forth, all for the purpose that He can dwell in us.

But without God here’s what we need to realize, Psalm 94:8: “Understand, ye brutish among the people: and ye fools, when will ye be wise?” Now that’s a good question, because all the ways of man is really foolish. And we also have here a comparison then (you can put in your margin there Matthew 25 about the ten virgins – the five wise and the five foolish). “He that planted the ear, shall He not hear [and we saw, yes, God already hears]? He that formed the eye, shall He not see?” Yes, God sees, God knows. Nothing can be hidden from Him. “He that chastiseth the heathen, shall not He correct?” In other words, if God is going to correct sinners don’t you think He’s going to correct His own? And have we not learned the lesson of God’s correction yet of what happened and we’ll see exactly how that comes about, and why men get into being Laodicean in spite of the vanity of it. Not only just Laodicean, but the whole process of how every human society and every human being without God becomes. And yes, even Christians who allow themselves to lose the vision, not understand the hope of God the way that they should, begin to partially wither on the vine.

Now: “…He that teacheth man knowledge, shall not He know?” Of course He will. Now here’s what God says of the thoughts of man. Now this is just like the branch cut off – it is vain, it won’t produce: “The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity.” That’s what it is. And we’re going to study about the vanity. We’re going to study about the futility of human life. We are going to understand why we go through the things that we go through and we’re going to see the process by which people end up in either a good condition or a mixture of conditions. And we know from our study of the seven churches in Revelation 2 and 3 that those things are so, and only two out of seven, and mainly one out of seven remained faithful to God. Of course they repented and were come back to God, but let’s understand how these things work, you see.

Verse 12: “Blessed is the man whom Thou chastenest, O LORD, and teachest him out of Thy law; that Thou mayest give him rest from the days of adversity, until the pit be digged for the wicked.” And so this is something that we need to understand. “For the LORD will not cast off His people, neither will He forsake his inheritance. But judgment shall return unto righteousness: and all the upright in heart shall follow it” (Psa. 94:8-15, KJV). And so this shows the whole process here. Out of all of this that God has made and done in creating for us eternal purpose, that He has this that we are going to do and we’re going to follow.

Now let’s see here concerning how man is. Let’s focus in on the theme of the vanity of man, because you see that’s going to be one of the major themes, as we will see, that’s going to be taught all during the Millennium. And there will be a great immediate comparison for the people to understand because they will be able to see the sons of God who are spirit beings because we’ll be able to manifest ourselves to them.

Ok, Psalm 39:5. And this is what we need to learn today about our lives and what they’re going to learn all during the Millennium about their lives, and so this will blend in with the rest of the feast here. Now let’s pick it up here in verse 4: “LORD, make me to know mine end…” And that’s a thing we need to understand. That’s why we look to the Kingdom of God. That’s why we have to have this hope always before us, because then this gives us the incentive. This gives us the vision. This gives us the goal, you see. “…Make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is; that I may know how frail I am.” And let’s understand something – we’re only just a breath away from death. Just think of that.

“Behold, Thou hast made my days as an handbreadth [there it is]; and mine age is as nothing before Thee: verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity.” Then there’s that little word – Selah. Now that means, “stop and think and meditate on this.” Selah – verily man at his best state is altogether vanity. That’s why the broken bough. See, you break off the bough and you see that life in that limb comes to an end. And you see that without being in the plant that it becomes nothing.

Verse 6: “Surely every man walketh in a vain shew: surely they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them.” And we’re going to see that also happened to Solomon. And we know what happened there – the world’s greatest Laodicean, huh? Who knows?

Let’s come down to verse 11: “When Thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, Thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth: surely every man is vanity” (Psa. 39:4-6, 11, KJV). In other words we see the futility of human life. We see the beginning of it and we understand the end of it. And we realize that through all this vanity, as God said back in Romans 8, that the whole creation is given over to vanity, subject to vanity – it wasn’t made it willingly, but it was made subject to vanity for the hope that God has for it.

All right, now let’s come here to Psalm 62:9. Let’s just consider if we could for a minute, see all of the great civilizations come by before our eyes – and all of the great leaders, and all of the great men, and all the people as it were, great and small, and just see what their lives were. Here’s a summary of it: “Surely men of low degree are vanity…” Isn’t it true? A rich man looks down on the poor man and says, “Oh you poor guy.” And the poor man looks up at the rich man and says, “Oh you poor guy. I’d like to have all your wealth, but you know, I’ve got enough trouble in my poverty here.”

“…And men of high degree are a lie…” I mean think about that. Think about all of the great and the important people of the world – how many are really there in sincerity and in truth and in honesty. Men of high degree are a lie. You see, God lays them: “…in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity.” So considering that He says: “Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them.” Key thing. We’ll talk about that a little more as we go on.

“God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God.” That is, the power to understand these things and the power to receive wealth. That’s why He says if riches increase, set not your heart upon them, because they can all go. And as we’ll see a little later on whenever someone dies they leave it all. And we’ll see Solomon’s lament because he understood what his son was, as we will see. “Also unto Thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy: for Thou renderest to every man according to his work” (Psa. 62:9-12, KJV). So that’s quite a thing, isn’t it? That’s really something.

Now let’s come to Isaiah 40. Let’s see how God looks at the whole world. Now today, rather than just going out and …  Oh, by the way, I hope you were able to see some of those things when Mars was close this past August, when it came closer to the earth – the closest that it has been in thousands of years. And I’m sure that has something to do with the upset weather that we have this year, and I’m sure, as I mentioned before, that God has considered all of that in the Calculated Hebrew Calendar.

Now let’s come over here to Isaiah 40 and let’s see the power of God compared to man, and what man really is and how vain he really is, and how that is with the nations, and so forth, and yet within the mind of every man and woman there is some sort of quirk of invincibility that somehow if they go their own way God isn’t going to require it. It is part of the futility of human nature. Now we’re going to have to deal with this with the people during the Millennium. It won’t be quite as pronounced as it is today. But here is the mission of John the Baptist. And he was told what to say.

Isaiah 40:6: “The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field…” And like James wrote, it’s going to pass away. Now let’s understand something: we’re made of the dust of the earth, aren’t we? All the grass is made of the dust of the earth, isn’t it? What do we eat? We eat vegetables, which is just another variety of grass, right? And fruit, which is a physical thing, which is no different than grass because it withers away, too, doesn’t it? So we eat meat. But what do those animals eat that we eat? They eat grass, they eat the things of the earth. So this is a true saying: all flesh is grass. “…The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.” That’s what we need to anchor our lives on and our spiritual understanding on – the Word and the Truth of God. That’s why the gospel of John starts out, “In the beginning was the Word,” because He was the one Who spoke it, and it endures forever. That’s why this instruction is good for us.

All right, let’s come over here to verse 12. So man getting lifted up in all of his vanity, and all of his greatness and you know, you just go down through history and think of all of the emperors and all of the kings and all of the priests and all of the important people and all of those who had money and wealth, and we’ll see that in a little bit with Solomon.

Now here, verse 12: “Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand…” Now you take and look at a globe and you look at how much is given to the oceans, and God says as far as He’s concerned He can measure it in the hollow of His hand. No man can. We don’t even know hardly anything about the oceans and what the ocean does. Yes, we’ve been able to go down many miles and even see volcanoes erupting under the surface of the water from the floor of the ocean, and we can even see the tectonic plates where they are pulling apart and even see the magma that comes up and is exposed to the sea water and immediately turns into rock and so forth. Yes, we can see that. But what do we really know? Nothing.

Let’s see what else he says here: “…And meted out heaven with the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth [all of the land of the earth] in a measure, and weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance?” So God is saying to mankind, and God is also saying to us so that we don’t get lifted up in vanity, that we don’t get lifted up and carried away and become lax and lukewarm and abominable and ready to be spewed out of the mouth of God, He says: “Who hath directed the spirit of the LORD, or being His counsellor hath taught Him? With whom took He counsel, and who instructed Him, and taught Him in the path of judgment, and taught Him knowledge, and shewed to Him the way of understanding?” See, everything that we learn has to go back and come from the things that God originally gave, but now in the world has been perverted by the knowledge of man and the influence of Satan the devil. And yet man and woman has this sort of invincibility within them that somehow they just don’t comprehend this. So this is why God gives this in His Word so that we might understand 1) how great God is; and 2) how frail that we are; and 3) how much we need God.

Now notice what He says here: “Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket…” You do this sometime – you get a five gallon bucket and you take an eyedropper and you go boop – one drop. And you see if you can find it in the bottom of that five gallon bucket. Probably be very hard put to do so, right? That’s how God looks at all the nations. And yet Satan, when he was tempting Jesus said what? “If you’ll bow down and worship me I will give you all the kingdoms of the world. Because it’s given to me,” he said, “and I give it to whomsoever I desire.” Amazing, isn’t it? Look at the difference in the perspective of God and Satan and also man.

“…And are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, He taketh up the isles as a very little thing. And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering. All nations before Him are as nothing; and they are counted to Him less than nothing, and vanity” (Isa. 40:6-8, 12-17, KJV). Now that’s quite a lesson, isn’t it? And we could also take those broken branches and we can see what? We can see the nations of the world cut off from God never prosper. Oh, they have some cycles as God uses them for His purpose, that is true. What is the end of it? You know, in all of these historical documents and shows that they have (and I’ve watched a lot of them on the History Channel) they go back and they show the Greeks, and they show the Babylonians, and they show they Egyptians, and the Assyrians, and the Romans and all of the empires down through time – but what has happened to all of them? Their great leaders have come to an end. And God also says that He raises up over them the basest of men. And there are still people today that admire Adolph Hitler. Did you know that he was a syphilitic? And did you know that he was constantly under the influence of drugs? Now what you need to do is watch a History Channel and when it comes on “Hail Hitler”, you watch it. The German people did what? They thought he was God. They thought he was fantastic. And he in his vanity was going to establish the Reich for a thousand years. And he lasted twelve and died ignominiously because it’s all vanity.